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Scene and Heard: Nanaimo singer Alison Crowe plays role in Superman

THE SINGER AND THE MAN OF STEEL Nanaimo-born singer-songwriter Allison Crowe has confirmed that she will appear in the upcoming Superman summer blockbuster Man of Steel.
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"Honestly, I can think back to it now and still freak out, in the best way ever," Allison Crowe says of the experience.

THE SINGER AND THE MAN OF STEEL

Nanaimo-born singer-songwriter Allison Crowe has confirmed that she will appear in the upcoming Superman summer blockbuster Man of Steel. “I will never, ever forget it,” Crowe said in a statement about her experience on the film. “Honestly, I can think back to it now and still freak out, in the best way ever.” Crowe is unable to say more about her involvement due to a signed confidentiality agreement.

But according to comicbooknews.com, which cites a leaked production call sheet, Crowe filmed her scenes (as a singer in a bar) at Nanaimo’s Cassidy Inn Pub back in October. The film from Watchmen director Zack Snyder is due June 14, and stars Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner and Amy Adams. Crowe is reporting that she will attend the red-carpet première in New York in June. Talk about perfect timing: Crowe — who has lived in Corner Brook, N.L., since 2006 — has a new album, Newfoundland Vinyl, due June 25.

 

FROM VICTORIA TO THE AIRWAVES

CBC host Jian Ghomeshi brought his hugely popular radio program Q to Victoria on Wednesday for a sold-out taping at the Royal Theatre. The variety show — exceedingly well-received by Ghomeshi’s adoring Victoria audience — featured appearances from a range of local talents, including musicians (Kathryn Calder, Carolyn Mark), artists (Robert Bateman), athletes (Simon Whitfield), and politicos (Green Party MLA Andrew Weaver, national aboriginal economic development chairwoman Judith Sayers). The show, which aired Friday on Q, has been posted for those who missed out. To hear it in its entirety, go to cbc.ca/q/episodes.

 

ONLY THING TO FEAR IS FEAR FACTORY

All metal fans need to know about Fear Factory’s upcoming show is that the core tandem of singer Burton C. Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares remains intact. The influential metal act from Los Angeles (albeit with two additional members) is performing locally for the first time in nearly five years on Tuesday at Club 9one9, with opening sets by Hate Eternal and Kobra & The Lotus. Tickets are $25 at Lyle’s Place, Ditch Records and ticketzone.com.

 

VIOLINIST MAKES NATIONAL FINALS

Aline Dumalski, a 12-year-old violinist from Victoria, has been named a national finalist in the Canadian Music Competition scheduled for June 21 to July 4 in Sherbrooke, Que. Dumalski is one of 21 musicians from B.C. who advanced in the competition, considered one of the top contests for classical musicians under 30. She will be among 200 performers vying for more than $100,000 in scholarship money.

 

WRITER’S BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

Award-winning Victoria writer Eliza Robertson has been named a short-story finalist in a contest inspired by the Juno-winning Broken Social Scene album You Forgot It In People. Robertson, 26, made the cut thanks to her story, which was named after the BSS song Late Nineties Bedroom Rock for the Missionaries. The UVic graduate is one of 13 finalists from across the country whose work was judged by members of Broken Social Scene, including Leslie Feist, Brendan Canning and Amy Millan. Each finalist will have their work published in the e-book The Broken Social Scene Story Project: Short Works Inspired by You Forgot It In People. For more information, go to houseofanansi.com/bssstorycontest.

 

INAUGURAL QUEER FILM FESTIVAL

A partnership between the Victoria Film Festival, the Out in Schools program, the Camosun College Student Society and the Victoria Pride Society has resulted in the inaugural Reel Queer Film Festival, scheduled for June 28 to 30 at the Vic Theatre. The festival will feature everything from documentary features and short films to panelists and speakers. For more information, phone 250-389-0444 or visit victoriafilmfestival.com. 

THE COWBOY RETURNS

Victoria native Ian Tyson (of Ian and Sylvia folk fame) released his second greatest-hits collection on Tuesday, a precursor to what is likely a string of events centred on his upcoming 80th birthday in September. Tyson, who lives on a ranch in Longview, near Calgary, selected 19 songs from the years 1999 to 2012 for inclusion on All the Good ‘Uns Vol. 2, the latest recording in a five-decade career.

 

HAVE SINGERS, WILL TRAVEL

Long adored as a solo artist, Leah Abramson has found even wider acclaim with her new indie-folk group The Abramson Singers. The Vancouver band’s tour in support of its new album, Late Riser, which arrived May 14 amid a mountain of big praise, will stop Tuesday at the Copper Owl (1900 Douglas St.). Other acts appearing include Astral Swans and Black Valley Gospel. Tickets are $8 at the door.

 

FOSTER NEVER FORGETS

Victoria’s David Foster is looking to top his Miracle Weekend fundraiser from last year with an even bigger name in 2014. The Grammy-winning producer told Times Colonist reporter Michael D. Reid recently that he might meet the high expectations his annual David Foster Foundations fundraisers continually face.

“I have one goal and that is to get Andrea Bocelli to Victoria in 2014,” Foster said, “maybe with the Victoria Symphony. Wouldn’t that be a fantastic show?” Foster has worked extensively with Bocelli, one of the biggest-selling artists in classical music history, and often serves as his musical director.